Cult Actress Yvette Vickers Found Mummified in Home

Us Magazine - May 3, 2011 3:46 PM PDT

http://l.yimg.com/k/im_siggWLEX1RnS5rAfnOqzMKHoJA---y300-x275-q75-n1/omg/us/img/1534_us_article_40833.jpg

Actress Yvette Vickers' mummified body was found April 27 at her Benedict Canyon, Calif. home. The LA Times reports that the former Playboy playmate, 82, had died and her body went undiscovered for months.

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Vickers, who starred in cult films like Attack of the 50-Foot Woman (1958) and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959), had not been seen for some time. A neighbor, Susan Savage, discovered her body in an upstairs room of her home; the mummified state of her corpse suggested she could have been dead for close to a year, police said.

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The official cause of death has yet to be determined, although police saw no signs of foul play.

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Savage remembered her neighbor, saying: "She kept to herself, had friends and seemed like a very independent spirit. To the end she still got cards and letters from all over the world requesting photos and still wanting to be her friend."

Savage said Vickers' neighbors felt terrible. "We've all been crying about this. Nobody should be left alone like that."

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/cult-actress-yvette-vickers-found-mummified-in-home/62015




Dan

It is always sad to hear of someone death, but this kind of news makes it sadder.

Playmate Yvette Vickers died from heart disease

May 13, 2011

http://www.europaplus.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Yvette-Vickers2.jpg

LOS ANGELES – The badly decomposed body found in a dilapidated hillside home overlooking Beverly Hills was former B-movie actress and 1959 Playboy Playmate Yvette Vickers and an autopsy showed she died from heart disease, authorities said Friday.

Vickers, 82, was found April 27 by a neighbor in her house. While foul play wasn’t suspected, her death captured headlines after authorities estimated her remains could have been there from a few months to a year.

County coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter, however, couldn’t say Friday when Vickers had actually passed away.

Born Yvette Vedder in 1928, Vickers’ first film role was in “Sunset Boulevard” in 1950. After the James Cagney-directed “Short Cut to Hell” flopped, she turned to B-movies, appearing in “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” and “Attack of the Giant Leeches.”

She appeared in Playboy as Miss July 1959.

Neighbors said Vickers kept to herself and there hadn’t been many signs that something was amiss at her one-bedroom house. Once letters started piling up in her mailbox, the neighbor went to check on Vickers and found her body. Inside, a space heater was on as was a computer.

Winter said Vickers, who wasn’t believed to have any children, has a brother who was notified about her death.

http://www.europaplus.tv/2011/05/playmate-yvette-vickers-died-from-heart-disease/





Dan

From wiki:

"Vickers' neighbor became concerned after noticing a large pile of yellowing mail in her mailbox as well as spider webs across her front door. Her body was found inside her Benedict Canyon home on April 27, 2011. The exact date of her death is unknown. Authorities indicated, however, that the mummified state of her body suggested Vickers could have been dead for nearly a year. The Los Angeles county coroner's department confirmed that Vickers' had died of natural causes, namely heart failure."

Playmate Yvette Vickers died from heart disease

May 13, 2011

http://www.europaplus.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Yvette-Vickers2.jpg

LOS ANGELES – The badly decomposed body found in a dilapidated hillside home overlooking Beverly Hills was former B-movie actress and 1959 Playboy Playmate Yvette Vickers and an autopsy showed she died from heart disease, authorities said Friday.

Vickers, 82, was found April 27 by a neighbor in her house. While foul play wasn’t suspected, her death captured headlines after authorities estimated her remains could have been there from a few months to a year.

County coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter, however, couldn’t say Friday when Vickers had actually passed away.

Born Yvette Vedder in 1928, Vickers’ first film role was in “Sunset Boulevard” in 1950. After the James Cagney-directed “Short Cut to Hell” flopped, she turned to B-movies, appearing in “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” and “Attack of the Giant Leeches.”

She appeared in Playboy as Miss July 1959.

Neighbors said Vickers kept to herself and there hadn’t been many signs that something was amiss at her one-bedroom house. Once letters started piling up in her mailbox, the neighbor went to check on Vickers and found her body. Inside, a space heater was on as was a computer.

Winter said Vickers, who wasn’t believed to have any children, has a brother who was notified about her death.

http://www.europaplus.tv/2011/05/playmate-yvette-vickers-died-from-heart-disease/





Dan



"Neighbors said Vickers kept to herself and there hadn’t been many signs that something was amiss at her one-bedroom house. Once letters started piling up in her mailbox, the neighbor went to check on Vickers and found her body. Inside, a space heater was on as was a computer."

I wonder how her space heater and computer, among other things, could be on for months if the utility bills went upaid? I would imagine that the history on the computer will be able to narrow the time of death




Dan

"Neighbors said Vickers kept to herself and there hadn’t been many signs that something was amiss at her one-bedroom house. Once letters started piling up in her mailbox, the neighbor went to check on Vickers and found her body. Inside, a space heater was on as was a computer."

I wonder how her space heater and computer, among other things, could be on for months if the utility bills went upaid? I would imagine that the history on the computer will be able to narrow the time of death




Dan


Perhaps she had some money and someone to pay her bills?  This story has deeply saddened me.  Hollywood really does know how to chew them up and spit them out.

"Neighbors said Vickers kept to herself and there hadn’t been many signs that something was amiss at her one-bedroom house. Once letters started piling up in her mailbox, the neighbor went to check on Vickers and found her body. Inside, a space heater was on as was a computer."

I wonder how her space heater and computer, among other things, could be on for months if the utility bills went upaid? I would imagine that the history on the computer will be able to narrow the time of death




Dan


Maybe she used solar energy....  probably the space heater being on may have affected the decomp/mumification rate of the body so it may have only been two or three months... I think you can go 90 days before your utilities are shut off.


or she could have a business manager who pays her bills

or she could have automatic payment set up for some of her bills.

That's weird,how could she have been laying there and no one noticed her dead?  ??? ::)

That's weird,how could she have been laying there and no one noticed her dead?  ??? ::)


she lived alone and had little contact with the outside world. She had no kids, obviously her brother didn't visit, her neighbors rarely saw her...

It could totally happen to me  :-\\

"Neighbors said Vickers kept to herself and there hadn’t been many signs that something was amiss at her one-bedroom house. Once letters started piling up in her mailbox, the neighbor went to check on Vickers and found her body. Inside, a space heater was on as was a computer."

I wonder how her space heater and computer, among other things, could be on for months if the utility bills went upaid? I would imagine that the history on the computer will be able to narrow the time of death




Dan


Police could check the computer's history.

she lived alone and had little contact with the outside world. She had no kids, obviously her brother didn't visit, her neighbors rarely saw her...

It could totally happen to me  :-\\


Was she poor maybe living on Social Security or did she have any money from her days as Playboy Playmate?

Was she poor maybe living on Social Security or did she have any money from her days as Playboy Playmate?


Benedict Canyon is in Beverly Hills...even tho it was a one bedroom home it probably cost her a cool million - unless of course she bought the home back in the 60s then she only paid a 100 grand for it but it's probably worth about  now $725,000

Benedict Canyon is in Beverly Hills...even tho it was a one bedroom home it probably cost her a cool million - unless of course she bought the home back in the 60s then she only paid a 100 grand for it but it's probably worth about  now $725,000


http://starcasm.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Yvette_Vickers_home.jpg

Yvette Vickers
10021 Westwanda Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-1428

10021 Westwanda Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90210
676 Sq. Ft. House (The average-sized home in the area is 2,536 square feet.)

local home price average - $1,292,000
Local Home Prices

Nearby 2 bedroom houses recently sold for around $875,000.
Nearby 3 bedroom houses recently sold for around $952,500.
The average-sized home in the area is 2,536 square feet.
Homes here were originally built around 1963.
About 1% of homes in this area were sold over the last two years.

http://lalife.com/address/10021_Westwanda_Dr_Los_Angeles_CA_90210




Dan

Benedict Canyon is in Beverly Hills...even tho it was a one bedroom home it probably cost her a cool million - unless of course she bought the home back in the 60s then she only paid a 100 grand for it but it's probably worth about  now $725,000


that's kind of what I was thinking, and if it's paid for you can refinance?  I'm going to investigate further.

that's kind of what I was thinking, and if it's paid for you can refinance?  I'm going to investigate further.




here's a link to homes for sale in the Benedict canyon area... they range from $699 - over $1 million


http://www.trulia.com/for_sale/Beverly_Hills,CA/1p_beds/SINGLE-FAMILY_HOME_type/price;a_sort/benedict_canyon_keyword/

here's a link to homes for sale in the Benedict canyon area... they range from $699 - over $1 million


http://www.trulia.com/for_sale/Beverly_Hills,CA/1p_beds/SINGLE-FAMILY_HOME_type/price;a_sort/benedict_canyon_keyword/


I added a picture of her home with some information on my previous post.

Yvette's home was roughly 27% of the size of the average home in that area.




Dan

I added a picture of her home with some information on my previous post.

Yvette's home was roughly 27% of the size of the average home in that area.




Dan



yeah but in beverly hills you don't pay for the size of the house you pay for the zip code and the property that house sits on...

http://starcasm.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Yvette_Vickers_home.jpg

Yvette Vickers
10021 Westwanda Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-1428

10021 Westwanda Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90210
676 Sq. Ft. House (The average-sized home in the area is 2,536 square feet.)

local home price average - $1,292,000
Local Home Prices

Nearby 2 bedroom houses recently sold for around $875,000.
Nearby 3 bedroom houses recently sold for around $952,500.
The average-sized home in the area is 2,536 square feet.
Homes here were originally built around 1963.
About 1% of homes in this area were sold over the last two years.

http://lalife.com/address/10021_Westwanda_Dr_Los_Angeles_CA_90210




Dan


The home across the street is for sale... it's twice the size and is listed at 1.24 million so Vickers house could easily sell for  700 -800 grand

http://www.trulia.com/property/3004219073-10022-Westwanda-Dr-Beverly-Hills-CA-90210  

Apparently and of course no surprise - some accounts state that she was in somewhat of a hoarder situation and a bit of a boozer.

Apparently and of course no surprise - some accounts state that she was in somewhat of a hoarder situation and a bit of a boozer.


doesn't surprise me.  Cat once showed me a house for sale. It was cheap! But it was sold as is...and a hoarder had inhabited the property. I suggested buying it and putting in a call to the Hoarders TV show that way you'd own a house for next to nothing and get someone to come clean it out for you while you faked being attached to all the crap and too stressed to lift a hand yourself and help out!  ;D

http://starcasm.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Yvette_Vickers_home.jpg

Yvette Vickers
10021 Westwanda Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-1428

10021 Westwanda Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90210
676 Sq. Ft. House (The average-sized home in the area is 2,536 square feet.)

local home price average - $1,292,000
Local Home Prices

Nearby 2 bedroom houses recently sold for around $875,000.
Nearby 3 bedroom houses recently sold for around $952,500.
The average-sized home in the area is 2,536 square feet.
Homes here were originally built around 1963.
About 1% of homes in this area were sold over the last two years.

http://lalife.com/address/10021_Westwanda_Dr_Los_Angeles_CA_90210




Dan


Wow that is some big home.  :o

Wow that is some big home.  :o


Actually Howard it's pretty small. It's apparently only one bedroom and according to the post 676 sq ft.  It is bigger than my 400 sq ft apt tho.  And about 80miles closer to the Paley center. I wonder if it'll be less valuable or more valuable since a "famous" person died in it.

usually I'm opposed to buying houses people died in but I want a house clOse to Paley so I can crash there after events! If I had the money id consider it.

Actually Howard it's pretty small. It's apparently only one bedroom and according to the post 676 sq ft.  It is bigger than my 400 sq ft apt tho.  And about 80miles closer to the Paley center. I wonder if it'll be less valuable or more valuable since a "famous" person died in it.

usually I'm opposed to buying houses people died in but I want a house clOse to Paley so I can crash there after events! If I had the money id consider it.



But then you have some of those bushes covering most of the house.

But then you have some of those bushes covering most of the house.


that's called landscaping... it's very popular in California  ;D

Actually Howard it's pretty small. It's apparently only one bedroom and according to the post 676 sq ft.  It is bigger than my 400 sq ft apt tho.  And about 80miles closer to the Paley center. I wonder if it'll be less valuable or more valuable since a "famous" person died in it.

usually I'm opposed to buying houses people died in but I want a house clOse to Paley so I can crash there after events! If I had the money id consider it.



I think this is it. http://www.realtor.com/property-detail/10021-Westwanda-Dr_Beverly-Hills_CA_90210_f8abe001?source=web

If I am reading those figures correctly, it might be worth investing in it assuming it is still for sale. I think that is cheaper than the hoarders house I showed you.


Cat

I think this is it. http://www.realtor.com/property-detail/10021-Westwanda-Dr_Beverly-Hills_CA_90210_f8abe001?source=web

If I am reading those figures correctly, it might be worth investing in it assuming it is still for sale. I think that is cheaper than the hoarders house I showed you.


Cat


that's the house but no way it's only valued at 55K... you know how well I know beverly hills and all my spare time is spent dreaming, looking for houses in the area  believe me if the house really was 55 K I'd be all over it... they are either using the value from 1980 to determine the 2010 value or they are using those foreclosure lures that they use online to make you believe the house is really that cheap. Trust me those numbers are way off the mark... .WAY, WAY OFF! 

that's the house but no way it's only valued at 55K... you know how well I know beverly hills and all my spare time is spent dreaming, looking for houses in the area  believe me if the house really was 55 K I'd be all over it... they are either using the value from 1980 to determine the 2010 value or they are using those foreclosure lures that they use online to make you believe the house is really that cheap. Trust me those numbers are way off the mark... .WAY, WAY OFF! 





I was trying to figure that out, too because that just didn't sound right. I found another sight which lists the properties next door and they sound more normal prices for the area. 10022 WESTWANDA Drive the asking price is $1,249,000 & 10020 WESTWANDA Drive the asking price is $699,900. 10074 WESTWANDA DR. is a little cheaper: $350,000.

The only thing I can figure is the 55K maybe the taxes or something like that.


Cat

The only thing I can figure is the 55K maybe the taxes or something like that.

Cat


Most likely, Cat.  Where I live the "appraised value" has absolutely no relationship to the market value of a property.  This is known as a "base year system".

For example, my house's market value is something like 4x the tax-appraisal value.

She sounds like a tragic figure.  

I hope she died peacefully.

I doubt she was dead for more than a few months.  It doesn't take long to look mummified in the Southern California climate.  

:\'(

I was trying to figure that out, too because that just didn't sound right. I found another sight which lists the properties next door and they sound more normal prices for the area. 10022 WESTWANDA Drive the asking price is $1,249,000 & 10020 WESTWANDA Drive the asking price is $699,900. 10074 WESTWANDA DR. is a little cheaper: $350,000.

The only thing I can figure is the 55K maybe the taxes or something like that.


Cat


yeah I posted a link for the one across the street... I think the one that 699.900 is fairly on the mark considering the economy... maybe they meant to post 556,130  or 550,613 instead of 55,613  ;D    I can tell you that the 350K one is a foreclosure and probably you couldn't come close to paying that. I think it's one of those come ons....like come on to our website and see how much we can screw you by luring you in with bogus prices for really fancy homes!  ;)

that's called landscaping... it's very popular in California  ;D


That's kinda of an annoyance.

That's kinda of an annoyance.


Why?  It's actually nice when you see it in person. That house needs a little clean up but it's not really that bad.

Why?  It's actually nice when you see it in person. That house needs a little clean up but it's not really that bad.


They have special stuff to get corpse smells out of homes.  I would take on a hoarder's home, A friend of mine's mom was a hoarder, when the time came to put her in a nice long term care facility I helped clean,  cleaning is more rewarding when you can REALLY tell it's been cleaned.  We found some treasures as well.  We don't have rats here either so it really wasn't all that bad. 

They have special stuff to get corpse smells out of homes.  I would take on a hoarder's home, A friend of mine's mom was a hoarder, when the time came to put her in a nice long term care facility I helped clean,  cleaning is more rewarding when you can REALLY tell it's been cleaned.  We found some treasures as well.  We don't have rats here either so it really wasn't all that bad. 


Lol I actually meant the dead leaves on the outside of the house- the landscaping needs some cleaning up but it's relatively well kept 

I can imagine it's easier cleaning a hoarders house when they aren't there screaming at you.  ;D

It'd be easy for me to just throw all the crap away. Not as easy for me tho when  ;)we're talking aboutmy own crap

Lol I actually meant the dead leaves on the outside of the house- the landscaping needs some cleaning up but it's relatively well kept   

I can imagine it's easier cleaning a hoarders house when they aren't there screaming at you.   ;D

It'd be easy for me to just throw all the crap away. Not as easy for me tho when   ;)we're talking aboutmy own crap


I know I watch the tv show hoarders and I could not sit and argue with someone about why they should keep their mountains of crap when their kids are sleeping all in the same beds and everything, I would just go completely smack happy.

I know I watch the tv show hoarders and I could not sit and argue with someone about why they should keep their mountains of crap when their kids are sleeping all in the same beds and everything, I would just go completely smack happy.


If I lived in a house with somebody like that, I'd send them away on a vacation and have the whole damned house emptied out.  It would not cure the hoarder but at least I would not have all that cr@p in the house.

Why?  It's actually nice when you see it in person. That house needs a little clean up but it's not really that bad.


Our house use to have bushes 30 years ago but we chopped it down.

They have special stuff to get corpse smells out of homes.  I would take on a hoarder's home, A friend of mine's mom was a hoarder, when the time came to put her in a nice long term care facility I helped clean,  cleaning is more rewarding when you can REALLY tell it's been cleaned.  We found some treasures as well.  We don't have rats here either so it really wasn't all that bad. 


That would be a whole load of Febreze to get the smell of a corpse out.

That would be a whole load of Febreze to get the smell of a corpse out.


Tell me about it.  I had my car in the shop to be repainted a few years ago and a mouse died in the trunk.  It was a hot summer.

Took 2 years for the stink to completely go away, and that was after I hosed the living cr@p out of that trunk.  Yuk.  8-P

Tell me about it.  I had my car in the shop to be repainted a few years ago and a mouse died in the trunk.  It was a hot summer.

Took 2 years for the stink to completely go away, and that was after I hosed the living cr@p out of that trunk.  Yuk.   8-P


What did you use for it?  ???

What did you use for it?  ???


Apparently water from a hose  ::)

What did you use for it?  ???


A high pressure hose at one of those car wash things.  Soap, rinse, the whole bit.

That was AFTER two bottles of Febreze did nothing.  :o

A high pressure hose at one of those car wash things.  Soap, rinse, the whole bit.

That was AFTER two bottles of Febreze did nothing.  :o


Febreze only provides you with a fresh scent.

An Ozone generator will kill all odors but damages rubber, like seals around refrigerators, elastic in socks etc.

Chart...

http://www.ozonesolutions.com/Choosing_Ozone_Generator_Rental_Guarantee.html





Dan

Febreze only provides you with a fresh scent.


Well even Febreze could not cure that "not so fresh" feeling my trunk had after the dead mouse incident.  :-X

Tell me about it.  I had my car in the shop to be repainted a few years ago and a mouse died in the trunk.  It was a hot summer.

Took 2 years for the stink to completely go away, and that was after I hosed the living cr@p out of that trunk.  Yuk.   8-P


what did you do to that mouse, slip him a mickey?  nyuck nyuck nyuck!
:D

Well even Febreze could not cure that "not so fresh" feeling my trunk had after the dead mouse incident.   :-X


Frebreeze and dead mouse do not mix. I had a skunk spray in my old apt. I put out one of those odor absorber canisters it did a fairly decent job.

what did you do to that mouse, slip him a mickey?  nyuck nyuck nyuck!
:D


That was so bad it was funny.

yeah I posted a link for the one across the street... I think the one that 699.900 is fairly on the mark considering the economy... maybe they meant to post 556,130  or 550,613 instead of 55,613  ;D     I can tell you that the 350K one is a foreclosure and probably you couldn't come close to paying that. I think it's one of those come ons....like come on to our website and see how much we can screw you by luring you in with bogus prices for really fancy homes!  ;)


The house might also be a total wreck if she was a loner holed up in there for 20 years.  

The house might also be a total wreck if she was a loner holed up in there for 20 years.  




Location location location. 3 miles from paley will help me overlook a lot I wouldn't forgive anywhere else!!!

Frebreeze and dead mouse do not mix. I had a skunk spray in my old apt. I put out one of those odor absorber canisters it did a fairly decent job.


Well, that's the last time we have the Skunks over for dinner!
:P

Well, that's the last time we have the Skunks over for dinner!
:P


Ha ha. Not exactly. I had the back door open. Carly heard something at the door and went to investigate. It was almost in the house. She startled it and it sprayed her. Direct hit to the face and right into my house down the hall into my closet. It was gnarly.

Well, that's the last time we have the Skunks over for dinner!
:P


http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/jeff-skunk-baxteraug31.jpg




Dan

Location location location. 3 miles from paley will help me overlook a lot I wouldn't forgive anywhere else!!!


You might.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yil2jWQ5Oqg
;D

You might.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yil2jWQ5Oqg
;D


Lol still worth it to me. You have to understand my obsession with paley. Plus I'd just send videos to holmes on homes until he agreed to come fix it  :D

Well even Febreze could not cure that "not so fresh" feeling my trunk had after the dead mouse incident.   :-X


How did it get in there anyway? ???

what did you do to that mouse, slip him a mickey?  nyuck nyuck nyuck!
:D


;D

Ha ha. Not exactly. I had the back door open. Carly heard something at the door and went to investigate. It was almost in the house. She startled it and it sprayed her. Direct hit to the face and right into my house down the hall into my closet. It was gnarly.


I bet she had to take a long tomato juice bath?  :P

I bet she had to take a long tomato juice bath?  :P


Now the place reeks of skunk, tomato juice, AND wet dog!
8-P

How did it get in there anyway? ???


Not sure.  I *think* that when the dude was prepping the car for painting he had the trunk open and the mouse got in there somehow.  It climbed down into the spare tire wheel hole and then could not get out.  Man that was NASTY smelling.  8-P

I bet she had to take a long tomato juice bath?  :P


Naw I used some other concoction I found online. It took two or three baths but she came out smelling fine. The apt was fine in two days. My clothes took much longer.

Now the place reeks of skunk, tomato juice, AND wet dog!
8-P


time to change clothes or bring them to a cleaner.

Not sure.  I *think* that when the dude was prepping the car for painting he had the trunk open and the mouse got in there somehow.  It climbed down into the spare tire wheel hole and then could not get out.  Man that was NASTY smelling.  8-P


I bet it was a nauseating smell. :P